


Let Me Feel It Out

by peachykeen_jb



Series: Zookeeper!Luke AU [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Bisexual Din Djarin, Family Fluff, First Dates, Fluff, Gay Luke Skywalker, Good Parent Din Djarin, Grogu is Din’s biological son, Luke is smitten, M/M, Modern AU, Star Wars Modern AU, Zookeeper AU, hot single dad, i just wanted some fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:07:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29410263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachykeen_jb/pseuds/peachykeen_jb
Summary: Luke glanced around the room and when no adult approached them, he turned back to the little boy and asked, “Do you know where your parents are?”The kid blinked at him, but he merely shrugged and turned back toward the glass. Luke hummed and considered what to do next. He figured it was best to keep the child calm until his parents came looking for him. Then again, this kid seemed perfectly calm and content to just stare at the alligators all day.“Are alligators your favorite animal?” he asked.-AKA Modern AU where Luke’s a zookeeper, Din is a single dad, and Grogu really likes reptiles.
Relationships: Din Djarin/Luke Skywalker
Series: Zookeeper!Luke AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2182650
Comments: 53
Kudos: 630





	1. Chapter 1

Luke loved his job. 

For the past two years, he’d served as head zookeeper for the large reptiles department at the zoo he grew up visiting. Luke worked in “The Rainforest”, a large domed building that housed most of the zoo’s reptiles, amphibians, and tropical birds. He was currently on a stewardship shift, which meant he was in one of the exhibit rooms with the guests-- answering questions and telling the families fun facts about the alligators in the large, pond-like exhibit behind him. 

He’d just completed a rotation of the room when he noticed a small boy standing alone at the alligator exhibit, staring through the glass as the large reptiles glided past lazily. The boy couldn’t be older than four. He was dressed in a tiny pair of jeans and a little green vest, with a matching green cap that barely contained his mop of brown hair. After watching for a moment and not seeing a parent nearby, Luke approached him. 

“Hello there, buddy,” Luke said, slowly bending down so that he was eye level with the boy, “Are you doing okay?”

The boy turned to look at him with a huge pair of brown eyes. The kid was adorable. He tilted his head when he looked at Luke but he didn’t answer. Maybe he didn’t speak English? 

Luke glanced around once more, and when no adult approached them, he turned back to the little boy and asked, “Do you know where your parents are?”

The kid blinked at him, but he merely shrugged and turned back toward the glass. Luke hummed and considered what to do next. He figured it was best to keep the child calm until his parents came looking for him. Then again, this kid seemed perfectly calm and content to just stare at the alligators all day. 

“Are alligators your favorite animal?” he asked, “They’re-” 

Suddenly a loud shout cut through the chatter and ambient sounds of the rainforest. 

“Grogu!”

A tall man was pushing his way through the crowd, rushing over to Luke and the kid. He immediately crouched down to the boy’s level and pulled him in for a hug.  It didn’t take long for Luke to spot the familial connection; the man had the same messy brown hair, angular nose, and chocolate brown eyes as the child. When they finally pulled apart, the boy’s father looked at him sternly.

“Don’t ever do that again! You need to tell me when you want something, you can’t just wander off and find it for yourself.” 

The boy- Grogu- dropped his eyes and said in the smallest voice imaginable, “I'm s orry ”

The man’s face crumpled and he pulled the child in for another tight hug. He lightly stroked the back of his head, “It’s okay, buddy. I was worried about you, that’s all.” 

After another moment, the man finally seemed to notice that Luke was also present. He straightened back up and met Luke’s curious gaze. 

“Thanks for noticing him. You stopped him from getting too far.” 

“You’re welcome,” Luke replied, “Trust me, he’s not the first lost kid I’ve come across in my time here. Usually all I have to do is wait with them for 10 minutes before the parent shows up. If they don’t, I take them down to Guest Services, but here you are.”

The man hummed in response and glanced down at his wayward son, “All I did was look down at my wallet for one second at the pretzel cart and when I looked back up he was gone. I’m sure you hear that story all the time.” 

“It doesn’t mean it’s not true. Plus you were able to find him pretty easily,” Luke told him genuinely. He noticed that Grogu was now hugging his dad’s leg, the older man ruffling his hair in return. Obviously they were close. 

“Yeah, I guessed that he made his way back to the alligators,” the father said with a wry smile, “They’re his favorite, isn’t that right Grogu?” 

The boy nodded vigorously, turning to look back toward the exhibit once more. 

“We have that in common,” Luke told him, catching the boy’s wide eyes, “I love alligators too. In fact, I studied alligators all through school and now I get to work with them every day. Do you want to take a closer look?”

Luke gestured toward the exhibit again and waved for the pair to follow him.

“All three of our guys are American Alligators, also known as  _ Alligator mississippiensis _ . This one up close to the glass is Bostic, he’s the baby of our group at 6 years old. Over there, on the bank, is Bondavalli. He came to us from the Bronx zoo about 3 years ago. And that big guy over there is Brochu, he’s our longest at 13 feet.”

Grogu nodded as he listened attentively to Luke. This was the best part of his job, aside from working directly with the reptiles. Luke loved watching the faces of kids light up when they learned about their favorite animals.

“Do you know any of the differences between alligators and crocodiles?” 

The boy grinned and brought a small hand up to tap his teeth. 

“That’s right! Alligators have interdigitated teeth, which means we can only see their top row when their mouths are closed, but crocodiles have exposed teeth which means we can always see their toothy grin. You’re very smart, Grogu!” 

The young boy looked down bashfully, and Luke didn’t miss the way his father lit up at the praise either. 

“Keep an eye on that Bondavalli, he’ll probably be ready to get in the water soon and he usually makes a big splash. I’m going to step over here, but let me know if you have any other questions.” 

Luke smiled and backed away, moving to do another rotation around the room. He watched as Grogu stared at the large scaly beasts, and Luke remembered being just like that at his age. Nothing could pull him away from his favorite animals. It must be nice to have a dad that encouraged his passions. Grogu’s father clearly indulged his requests for reptile-related media if he was already able to relay facts about an alligator’s teeth. The man was currently lifting him up to get a better view into the whole exhibit. The little boy yelped in delight and stuck both hands on the glass, fascinated by the creatures inside. 

After fifteen minutes of answering questions and pointing families toward the restrooms, Luke was drawn back to the father-son duo still standing in front of the alligator exhibit. 

“You really can’t pull him away from there, huh?”

The man chuckled and shook his head, “At least I know where he is now, that’s all the matters. I’ll stand here for days if I have to.” 

“True, at least you’ll always know where to find him when you guys are here.”

“Yeah. Sometimes I miss the days when I could carry him around in a sling on my chest-- he wasn’t capable of wandering off back then,” the man said, before immediately blushing, “But anyways, thanks again… um?” 

“Oh, it’s Luke.”

“Thanks again Luke. I really appreciate you keeping an eye on him. I’m Din, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you, Din.”

Luke reached out to shake Din’s hand and immediately felt butterflies in his stomach when his hand was dwarfed by the other’s in sheer size. 

“As much fun as it’s been staring at alligators for the past hour, we better get going. We still have half the zoo to see.”

“Before you go, let me give you something,” Luke said, quickly walking to the Information Wall in the exhibit and grabbing a pamphlet, “If Grogu loves animals so much, you should consider signing him up for the zoo’s Youth Discovery Camp. It’s a week-long experience open to anyone under 18, and I think he’s just old enough for our youngest group. It’s just a day camp, and we have a new session starting next week, if you’re interested.” 

Luke watched a look of hesitation cross Din’s face, “That sounds interesting. How expensive is it?” 

“We try to make it affordable for as many families as possible, especially when the kids are so young.”

Din took the brochure and studied it carefully. 

“You don’t have to decide now, you can sign up online.”

“Okay, thanks. I think he’d like this, I’ll look into it.”

Din reached for Grogu’s hand and gestured toward Luke with his other,

“Say goodbye to Zookeeper Luke. I’m sure we’ll see him again when we come back to visit the alligators.” 

“ Bye, ” Grogu whispered, looking down and swinging his arm. He was shy and Luke related to that. His sister was always the talkative one. He gave Grogu one more friendly smile. 

“Bye guys, enjoy the rest of your day at the zoo.”

***

On Monday morning, Luke stood near the entrance of the zoo setting up the signage that pointed families to the Discovery Camp classroom in the Learning Center. The summer air was still a little brisk in the morning before the humidity set in, and Luke enjoyed the moment of peace before the kids arrived. 

A deep voice suddenly cut through the quiet morning, interrupting Luke’s thoughts. 

“Hey, slow down kid!”

It was Din and Grogu, making their way across the parking lot. Grogu tugged on his father's hand, trying to pull him closer to where Luke was standing near the entrance. He grinned. He’d been hoping to see these two again. He normally spoke to dozens of families per day but there was something about this pair that made them extra memorable. 

Today little Grogu was dressed in a yellow t-shirt with a big green frog on it and the same green cap as the first day Luke met him. He was just as adorable as Luke remembered. His father was also as cute as he remembered-- although today he was sporting a large pair of aviator sunglasses that covered much of his face. 

“It’s nice to see you again,” Luke said when they stopped in front of him. 

“You too. We’re excited to be here,” Din replied, placing a hand on Grogu’s small head, “Grogu wouldn’t stop talking about you when we got home. He calls you the Alligator Man.”

“I’m flattered,” Luke replied, giving Din a wry smile before looking down and addressing Grogu, “Are you ready to learn even more fun animal facts today? You’re going to love our teacher Chewie, he can tell you facts about  _ all _ the animals in the zoo.”

Grogu smiled up at him and nodded. 

“He’ll open up when he sees other kids,” Din told Luke, “I swear he’s the chattiest kid in the world when we’re at home. He just has to feel comfortable first. He gets that from me.” 

Luke smiled and nodded in understanding. 

“Don’t worry, he can talk just as much or little as he likes here. Most of the kids are just excited to talk about animals all day and they’re all very friendly. You’re a little early, but I’ll go in with him.”

Din shot him a grateful look before turning back to Grogu. 

“Okay buddy, let’s get you ready to go.” 

Din pulled his own backpack off and removed a lunchbox and a small reusable water bottle with tropical frogs on it. “I packed him a lunch but there’s a couple of dollars in there in case he wants to get a treat.”

As he handed the lunchbox to his son, he leaned closer to Luke and lowered his voice, “I’m glad we ran into you. Grogu was nervous this morning but he perked right up when he saw you. I think it really helped him to see a familiar face before going in.”

“I’ll make sure to keep an extra close eye on him, I’m sure he’ll have a great time.”

The relief on Din’s face was unmistakable. 

“Thank you,” he said, standing back and giving Grogu a very gentle push toward Luke, “I’ll see you this afternoon, kid. Be good and mind your manners.” 

Grogu looked up at his dad and blew him a kiss, which just about melted Luke’s heart. He reached for Grogu’s hand to lead him to the Learning Center. 

“Say ‘See you later, Dad!’. We’re going to have a fun day today, I promise.”

Grogu shot one last look over his shoulder at his father before following him toward the classroom. Luke did the same, just so he had one more mental image of Din standing there in his aviators, looking like a 1970s movie star. 

***

On Tuesday afternoon, Luke found himself heading back to his locker in the middle of the afternoon. He’d just finished another stewardship rotation and was heading to the break room to check his phone before his next husbandry shift started. He had to prepare dinner for the alligators and he knew he wouldn’t get another break until he was officially done for the day. As he passed the Learning Center, he noticed Din sitting on a shady bench nearby. He immediately changed direction. 

“Hey Din!” 

Din glanced up from his phone. Luke noticed that it was an iPhone 5. Was there anything about this man that wasn’t adorable?

“Oh hey Luke. How’s it going?”

“Pretty good. I’m taking a break before I have to go grind up enough meat to feed three 700 pound alligators,” Luke replied, immediately blushing when he realized how that sounded. However, Din didn’t seem affected by the euphemism. 

“Oh, that’s cool.”

When Din didn’t look back down at his phone, and instead continued gazing up at Luke with those beautiful puppy dog eyes, he took it as a sign to sit down and join him on the bench. 

“Camp doesn’t wrap up for another 10 minutes at least. How long have you been here?”

“Not that long. I know I’m early but I don’t want Grogu panicking if he leaves class and doesn’t see me here waiting for him.”

“It’s nice that you’re here to pick him up,” Luke told him, building up his courage to dig for a little more information, “You must have an understanding boss. Would it be prying to ask what you do?”

“Not at all- I’m a mechanic, I work at a shop downtown. I wouldn’t call the owner understanding,” Din said with a wry grin, “but he happens to be a friend of mine so I have a pretty flexible schedule, which I’m extremely grateful for as a single parent.”

_ Ah-ha _ . So there was the confirmation that he was single. Luke had already noted that he didn’t have a ring on his finger, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything. He didn’t want to get his hopes up, but Luke couldn’t help but wonder if Din brought it up on purpose. 

“That’s great! I’d call my job the opposite of flexible,” he replied with a chuckle, “but I love it. I always wanted to work with animals, and now I get to do that on a daily basis. It’s also fun working with kids and educating families. I know it’s on a small scale, but I enjoy coming in to work and feeling like I’m making a difference.” 

“Yeah conservation is important,” Din said, nodding thoughtfully, “Plus, I know my kid benefits from seeing the animals up close and learning about them that way. I’m sure other kids do too. Do you always work at the children’s camp or just sometimes?” 

“Only sometimes. Zookeepers aren’t required to participate in the youth education programs, but I always volunteer. Our lead education coordinator, Chewie, is a great guy and the kids love him. I like working with him on the reptile curriculum.” 

The flow of kids exiting the Learning Center interrupted his thoughts. Din immediately stood, craning his neck while looking for Grogu, and Luke copied him. It didn’t take long for Grogu to separate from the crowd, and as soon as he saw Din he ran towards him as fast as his little legs allowed. He threw himself into Din’s arms and he immediately lifted the little boy up, settling him comfortably on his hip. 

“Did you have a good time?” Din asked, looking seriously at his son. Grogu nodded vigorously. 

“What did you learn about today? Did they teach you how to run faster than a cheetah?” 

Grogu giggled, “No!”

“No? Hmm… Did they teach you to swim like a shark?” 

“No!”

“No?” Din looked over at Luke, a look of mock displeasure on his face, “What are you teaching them at this program?”

Luke laughed, “I don’t know, I guess I’ll have to talk with Chewie.” 

Din laughed too and set Grogu back down on the ground. 

“I guess all that matters is that you had fun, right kid?”

The little boy nodded and then reached into his small backpack to pull out a drawing. He paused for a moment before tentatively handing it to Luke. Din watched the exchange with his head tilted curiously but he didn’t interrupt. Luke gently took the paper from Grogu, and his heart melted when he saw the content. 

It was a picture of a blonde man with a green cape standing next to three smiling alligators with huge teeth. “Gator Man” was written in long, squiggly letters across the top. 

“Is this for me?”

“ Yes ,” Grogu said, now hiding behind his dad’s leg. 

“It’s lovely, thank you so much. I’m going to go hang it in my locker right now!”

Grogu beamed and then immediately ducked his head, hiding his expression behind the back of Din’s thigh. 

“Awesome job, buddy! I told you your art would be hanging in public someday. First stop Luke’s locker, second stop the Louvre!” 

Luke’s childless heart melted even further at the comment. He loved the way Din built his son up, constantly encouraging his interests and inspiring his confidence. Luke never really viewed himself as the parenting type and he feared that any relationship he had with a kid would be spoiled by Luke’s failed relationship with his own father. But Din made it look easy-- watching this pair made him realize that not every relationship had to turn out like his relationship with his father. Which was basically non-existent due to stubbornness and unwillingness to see each other’s point of view. 

An alarm from his smartwatch interrupted his thoughts, informing him that he only had a few minutes left of his break. 

“Thanks again Grogu, I can’t wait to hang this up,” Luke said genuinely, “I’ll see you guys tomorrow!”

“We’re looking forward to it,” Din replied with a smile. 

  
  


***

On Thursday afternoon, Luke found himself sitting with Han in the employee cafeteria. The duo just finished helping Chewie get the kids set up with an activity in the Australia section of the zoo’s campus, and were catching up about their past week. Han worked in the Savannah region, primarily with the lions, so it was rare that they shared the same break. As one of his closest friends, not to mention his sister’s boyfriend, Luke valued his opinion. He wasn’t always helpful with romantic matters, seeing as they had very different perspectives on romance and dating, but Luke was at his wits end. He couldn’t get Din off his mind.

“He’s so cute, Han. I can’t stop thinking about the way my name sounds in his voice or the way his whole face crinkles when he laughs.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m sure he’s very cute,” Han replied, rolling his eyes as he leaned back dangerously far in his chair, “He seems different from your normal type though. Most of your flings are… let’s just say they’re the opposite of soft. I never thought you’d be into a  _ Dad _ . Then again, maybe it makes sense with your family-”

“The whole dad-thing is making it worse!” Luke cut in, running a hand through his hair anxiously, “He’s so sweet and gentle around his son, but he looks like he could squish me like a bug! I bet he could do push-ups with me  _ and _ his kid on his back. I can’t stop imagining it.”

  
“Seriously? That gets you going?”

“Every time I think about the way he holds Grogu’s hand or packs him a lunch of hand-cut carrot slices and dino shaped PB&J, my brain short circuits. One time he mentioned carrying Grogu around in a sling when he was a baby, and I swear the mental image made me want to jump him right then and there. Any time he smiles at me, my brain goes and pictures what it’d be like with him forcing me up against a wall and sinking those teeth into my neck.”

“Damn. Well, if you like him so much, why haven’t you said anything to him yet?”

“Because I told myself that Dads were off-limits. It’s too messy. I shouldn’t want to get involved but I do… Besides, he’s probably not even interested. He has a kid, so obviously he likes women.”

“That doesn’t have to mean anything. He could be interested in men too.”

“Yeah maybe…” Luke sighed, gazing off wistfully into the distance. 

“Have you considered just asking him out?”

“Yes, but I’ve been too nervous. Pining from a distance feels safer.” 

Han grumbled and shook his head, “You’re being dramatic again. You’re never going to get answers by playing it safe. You have to do something, make a move-”

“It’s not that easy! What if I’m misreading everything and he completely rejects me. Or worse, what if he’s totally disgusted and I drive him and Grogu away from the zoo forever!” 

“So you get your heart broken, so what? You’ll move on. Listen, you've been infatuated with guys before and-”

“This feels different.” 

“Luke…”

“I think I’m in love with him.”

“You’ve known him for a week!”

“So?” 

“Listen kid, it’s not true love, it’s just a crush,” Han said, leaning forward and forcing Luke to look him in the eye, “Before you go and start planning the wedding, why don’t you ask him on a date first? Then, if you still like him outside the context of the zoo, you can start picking out china patterns.” 

“You’re right. I know you’re right.”

Luke sighed. It was complicated but Han really was right: he would spend forever wondering what might have been if he didn’t talk to Din. There really was something different about Din that separated him from the other men Luke had pursued before. He was instantly comfortable around him and his son. He loved talking to him, and during their conversations he felt a delicious fusion of lightness in his heart and a tension in his groin. He felt like he could stare at Din forever. He wanted to know everything about this man and he’d never felt like this before.

He had to ask him out.

*** 

Friday was the last day of Discovery Camp, and Luke had spent his entire night lying awake and agonizing about whether he’d have a chance to talk to Din alone. It may be his last chance. Zoo admission wasn’t exactly cheap, and it wasn’t likely that he and Grogu would be visiting regularly now that camp was over. It was now or never. 

That morning, he was hovering outside the Learning Center waiting for Din to emerge after dropping off Grogu for the day. Just when he thought he must have missed him, Luke spotted Din leaving the building, looking beautiful as ever in his leather jacket and large aviators. 

“Hey Din!” he called out, jogging over towards the other man, “You got a minute?”

Din paused and smiled in his direction, “Sure Luke, what’s up?”

Luke felt his mouth go dry as soon as he was face to face with the man. It was hard to think straight when he was distracted by the expanse of chest revealed by several undone buttons on Din’s shirt and by how much he wanted to run his hand through his soft, slightly curled hair.

“Um,” he stuttered, trying his best not to sound like a moron, “Hey. I just wanted to grab you alone for a minute because there’s something I wanted to ask you.”

He paused and Din just stared at him, his expression unreadable behind his sunglasses. Luke took this as a sign to continue. 

“I was wondering if you wanted to grab a coffee sometime, just you and me? Or maybe even dinner?” 

Din’s eyebrows shot up towards his hairline and he finally pulled his sunglasses up, revealing a pair of wide eyes. 

“You want to get coffee with me?”

“Um, yes?”

“Or dinner?”

“Yes.”

“... Are you asking me out?”

A burning blush spread across Luke’s face and he stumbled to find the right words, “Yes I am but I’m really sorry if I misread something. You seem confused so if you don’t want to or if you’re not into guys, just forget it. I’m sorry.”

Suddenly Din reached out and grabbed Luke’s hand. 

“Please don’t apologize. I’m not offended, I’m just… surprised that’s all.”

“Yeah?” Luke said, trying not to get his hopes up. 

“You didn’t misjudge anything. I do see guys, occasionally. But it’s been a while.”

Din paused and this time it was Luke who waited for the other man to continue. Din glanced down at the ground for a moment and when he looked back up his eyes were vulnerable. 

“I’ve been holding myself back from this kind of stuff. It’s been a long time since I’ve dated at all. I can’t stop worrying about how it will affect Grogu. I never want him to feel ignored because I’m spending too much time with a partner. Or what if I introduce him and he gets too attached and then it doesn’t work out? I don’t want him to feel any pain because of me.”

“I understand,” Luke replied sadly, because he did. This is exactly what he’d been expecting. Din was a father, first and foremost. Luke wasn’t. It made sense that he didn’t want to date anyone who couldn’t understand that. 

“But…”

Luke’s head shot back up, and he was shocked to see a blush spreading across Din’s face too. 

“Grogu already knows you. He  _ likes _ you. I can’t stop him from getting attached because he already is. So, I might as well go out with you. Because I really like you too.” 

“Really?”

Din smiled and then leaned forward to gently brush his lips against Luke’s. Every nerve ending in Luke’s body seemed to light up at the feeling of the kiss.  _ Din was kissing him _ . It felt just as wonderful as he imagined. Before he really had the chance to respond, Din pulled back, leaving Luke falling forward as if chasing his retreating lips. 

“Was that okay?” Din asked softly. 

“More than okay. In fact, I think I want to try it again.”

Din laughed but brought a hand up to Luke’s chest, holding him back. Luke almost  _ purred _ at the feeling of warmth radiating off Din’s large palm. He wanted to experience how those hands felt all over his body. 

“Me too, but not here.”

Luke sighed, “You’re right. This is my place of work. But it’s your fault for being so tempting.”

Din laughed at Luke’s pout and lifted his hand to stoke Luke’s bottom lip with his thumb. It made Luke feel like his whole body had turned to jelly. 

“I apologize for teasing you. Let’s plan on continuing this tonight, if that’s what you had in mind?”

“Yes, absolutely yes!” Luke exclaimed, “So dinner then? You can find someone to watch Grogu on such short notice?”

“It will be fine to leave him with my boss. Grogu hasn’t spent a lot of time with his Uncle Boba lately. He’ll love it.” 

Luke beamed at him, and quickly offered his phone number to Din. He really did have to get to his station before breakfast time or he’d have three very unhappy alligators to contend with. 

“So I’ll text you the details and I’ll see you tonight,” he said, slowly backing away from Din. He couldn’t keep the goofy grin off his face when Din waved back at him,

“See you tonight, Gator Man.”   



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! I really intended this to be a oneshot but I received so much positive feedback on this that I decided to add a little more to this AU. Thank you to everyone who left kudos or a comment, it means the world to me and I sincerely appreciate it. So here’s a little more of DILF Din and Gator Man Luke.

Luke frowned as he tried to fix his honey-colored hair into a style that was “casually mussed” instead of “complete bedhead”. He stared into the bathroom mirror for another moment before deciding this was probably as good as it was going to get. He switched off the bathroom light and checked his phone to make sure he was still on time. Tonight was his first date with Din and he wanted to look perfect, but he also didn’t want to be late. 

He wore a casual blazer over a pastel shirt, tucked into a pair of very snug jeans. It was a big step up from his khaki work uniform, and he hoped Din would approve of the look. He was lacing up his boots in his front hallway when his phone rang. He saw Leia’s name flash on the screen, so he answered it and put it on speaker while he finished with his shoes. 

“Hey! I just wanted to wish you luck tonight,” his twin said, her voice carrying just a hint of smugness. 

Luke rolled his eyes. “Of course Han told you.”

“He may have mentioned something about a date, yes,” she replied, and Luke could picture her grinning through the phone, “He said you’ve been obsessed with this guy all week and you finally asked him out.”

“Yes I did, and I’m about to leave so can I call you later-”

“Wait! Really quick, just tell me what he’s like! Was it really love at first sight?”

“Leia,” Luke whined, “Come on!”

“Han said he saw him picking his kid up from camp-- he said he seemed cute from a distance, with those ‘ _ broad shoulders _ ’ and that ‘ _ striking mustache _ ’, but maybe not as tall as you described.” 

“Well, tell Han to back off because he’s mine,” Luke griped. He was never going to tell Han about one of his crushes ever again. 

Leia laughed, “You have to give me more details! What else do you know about him?”

“Uh, that’s the whole point of a first date, I’m going to learn more tonight. Right now I just know that he’s hot and he has a cute kid, sorry to disappoint you.”

“Fine, I’ll let you go. Good luck tonight. Oh, and I hope you’re not wearing  _ the boots _ .”

Luke blushed. “What’s wrong with the boots?”

“Nothing! I just think they’re a little much for a first date. They scream ‘come and get it’, you know?”

“But I want him to ‘come and get it’!”

“On the first date?”

“Since when are you a prude?”   
  


“Hey,” Leia snapped, “I’m only trying to offer advice. You’re the one who said this guy seemed different to you. He’s a little older, he has a kid, he may want to take things slower.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” Luke sighed, “I’m just nervous. I appreciate the feedback, Leia.” 

“No worries. You know I can’t help myself, I just love sticking my nose in your business,” she joked, letting Luke know she didn’t actually take offense at his comment, “And I only want the best for my brother. I really do want this to go well for you, Luke.” 

“Thanks. But I  _ really _ gotta go now, I don’t want to be late,” Luke said, fluffing up the front of his hair in his hall mirror one last time.

“Okay, have fun. And you have to call me tomorrow!”

“I will. And Leia?”

“Yeah?” 

“I’m still going to wear the boots.”

  
  


***

They’d agreed on a Thai restaurant that was slightly off the beaten path. Luke had eaten there before and he’d agreed immediately when Din suggested it over text. There was some brief bantering about who could handle the spiciest dish better, and Luke felt his heart warm all over again. Din texted exactly like he spoke; full sentences, correct grammar, and very little use of emojis. Meanwhile, Luke texted like a sixteen-year-old girl. Half his texts to Leia were just a string of emojis, as if he were writing in hieroglyphics. But he was reigning himself in for Din’s sake. 

Luke was relieved to find he’d arrived several minutes before they’d agreed. He stood outside the restaurant under a streetlight, glancing between his phone and the street, keeping an eye out for Din. No more than two minutes later, he spotted the man striding down the sidewalk. 

He always looked good, but Luke was excited to see what “Date Night Din” looked like. He was not disappointed. Din wore a colorful plaid button down with a pair of  _ very _ well-fitting black denim pants that were almost too much for Luke to handle. His hair was a little less mussed than usual-- it was swept up off his forward which highlighted his strong jaw and nose. The smile he shot Luke was enough to stop his heart. Handsome was too bland of a word to describe Din but all other adjectives flew from his mind as he gazed at the taller man. The world seemed to stop for a moment as Luke processed the fact that this gorgeous man was on a date with  _ him _ . He was by far the luckiest man to ever exist.

“Hi,” he greeted, unable to come up with anything else smart or witty to say.. 

Din smiled back at him, “Hey. You look really good, Luke.”

Luke blushed and his hands fluttered nervously, “Thanks, you look nice too.”

They stood there for a moment, taking each other in, until Din gestured to the door, “Should we go in?”

Luke nodded, relieved to have a task to focus on. Otherwise he might have been stuck on the sidewalk staring into Din’s eyes all night long. Not that he’d complain about that, but dinner sounded appealing too. 

The restaurant was cozy and warm, lit with an orange glow by lamps hanging from the ceiling. There were only twelve tables and they were almost all full. It was crowded and loud but the aromas coming from the kitchen were intoxicating. After growing up with a silver spoon in his mouth, it took Luke until adulthood to learn that  _ fancy _ didn’t necessarily equal  _ delicious _ . If anything, this Thai place had better food than he’d had in some of the classiest restaurants in the world. He was excited to be back. 

As they were led to their table, Luke felt his heart pounding in his chest and there was a light ringing in his ears. He knew it was just nerves, but he’d never been so anxious on a date before. They weaved between the tight tables and Din placed his hand lightly on the small of Luke’s back to guide him through. The feeling made him jump and Din immediately removed it, which made Luke inwardly curse his nerves. The hostess sat them in the corner, which felt equally private and isolating. 

They sat across from each other at the small table, and Din smiled pleasantly at him. 

“Thanks for getting me out of the house. I never get to eat out at places with actual table clothes anymore, so this is huge for me,” he joked. 

Luke felt the tension in his shoulders loosen at Din’s comment. His attempt at humor immediately put him at ease, reminding him why he was drawn to this good-looking dad in the first place. 

“You and Grogu aren’t hitting up 3-star Michelin restaurants every Friday? I’m shocked.”

Din chuckled, “Yeah, not exactly. The last time we ate out involved a happy meal box and way too many chicken nuggets.”

“I hope you at least got a good toy out of it.”

Din laughed out loud at that and Luke was mesmerized by the way his face crinkled when he genuinely laughed. The sound echoed in Luke’s ears which made his heart pound a little wilder. Lord, everything about the man was  _ adorable _ and  _ infectious _ .

The waitress stopped by to take their drink orders, and Luke took a cue from Din and ordered a beer instead of his usual Mai Tai. Tonight was not the night to reveal that he was an embarrassing lightweight when it came to alcohol. 

“So you cook then?” he asked, eager to learn more about Din’s home life. 

The man just hummed in response, fiddling with his chopsticks, “I get by.”

“Hmm, I’m sure you do. I can picture you with a little ruffled apron on, running around making three perfect meals a day. It’s all very Martha Stewart in my head,” Luke teased. 

“God, I wish I could cook like her,” Din replied, “Trust me when I tell you that my style is more ‘Cooking for Dummies’ rather than ‘The Art of French Cuisine’. I tried making paella once-- absolute disaster. I spent two whole days cleaning the kitchen after that.”

“At least you try! I’m usually so busy with work that I live exclusively off the frozen food section at Trader Joe’s.”

“Fair enough,” Din said, nodding at the waitress when she dropped off their drinks, “Having Grogu definitely helps with balanced eating. I always have fresh stuff for him. My repertoire mainly consists of his favorites- quesadillas, chili, chicken soup, turkey meatballs... But nothing fancy.” 

“Well, it sounds lovely to me. I don’t have a single memory of my father cooking anything,” Luke said wistfully, reaching for his beer. 

Din seemed to pick up on something layered in Luke’s comment. He tilted his head and studied him closely, “I take it you guys weren’t close? You don’t have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable.”

Luke sighed and debated his next response in his head. Was it really time for the family conversation? Sometimes Luke tried to put it off as long as possible, but he knew something about Din was different. He didn’t want to hide things from him and pretend like everything was perfect, like he did with past partners. They’d been honest with each other so far and it was working well, so Luke figured he should remain on this new path. 

“It’s okay, I don’t mind. My parents and I were close when I was young, but everything changed in high school. Things have been… strained for a long time now. We just can’t see eye to eye, and I gave up trying years ago.”

“Is it because you’re... interested in men?”   
  


“No,” Luke quickly clarified, “It’s not because I’m gay. I’m lucky actually, my whole family was very accepting about that from the start. What they couldn’t accept was the fact that I wanted no part of the family business.”

Din quirked an eyebrow, “The family business?”

“My mother’s maiden name is Amidala-”

“Wait, you don’t mean  _ Padmé  _ Amidala, do you? The Democratic senator from California?”

“Yes, I do,” Luke smiled sadly, “That’s my mom. Before her senate run, both she and my father were partners at the same law firm- a firm that they started together with a family friend. As soon as I was old enough to understand the term “litigation”, it was expected that I’d join the family business. When my mom stepped away from the practice to run for office, my sister and I were just starting to think about where to apply to college and what to major in. Leia was interested in law from the start, albeit a different kind than what my dad practiced, but still, she liked it and it came naturally to her. No one could fathom why I wouldn’t want the job too: it was important work that offered respect, power, wealth… but I found it so boring.”

Luke stared at a spot on the table, unable to meet Din’s gaze quite yet as he processed everything he’d just revealed. Was it too much? He really hoped it wasn’t too much. Sometimes when Luke got started on a subject (especially this one), his mouth was like a faucet and he just couldn’t shut it off without spilling all his rambling thoughts. 

When Din spoke, his voice was light and gentle. 

“Wow. I suppose becoming a zookeeper is about as far from international law as you can get, huh? I don’t blame you, I don’t think becoming a lawyer sounds very appealing either.”

“Seems like it would be easy to understand, right? Not according to my father,” Luke replied bitterly, “I didn’t want to slave away at a university for years, only to be rewarded by endless paperwork and arguing. I didn’t care about the kind of life it offered. I always wanted something quieter, where I could work with my hands. I’d always loved animals so I majored in zoology, and that was basically the final nail in the coffin of my relationship with my dad. I see the whole family once a year at Christmas, and that’s about it. Even then, I avoid talking to him alone. I still talk to my mom on the phone every few months, but she’s taken my father’s side for so many years now that we’re not that close anymore either.”

Luke realized he was still staring down at his hands, and when he looked back up he noticed a deep sadness in Din’s dark eyes. 

“Hey, don’t pity me. I’m totally happy with my life. I love my job and I have great friends. I’m also still very close with my sister. We see each other all the time, so it’s not like I don’t have any family left at all.”

“No pity here,” Din replied softly, “Just someone who knows how you feel. I don’t have much family left either and I never had a sibling, so it’s nice that you still have your sister. ”

“Oh, I’m sorry-” 

“It’s okay. You shared with me, so I want to share with you. I… lost my parents in a car accident when I was just a kid. I was raised by my grandfather, but he’s gone now as well. He was a terrific guy- he couldn’t keep up with my friends’ dads by coaching the soccer team or anything, but he did everything he could for me. I learned so much from him. I’m just glad he got to meet Grogu once before he passed a few years ago.”

They stared at each other for a moment. Din’s eyes were shiny, and Luke was sure that the same look was mirrored on his own face. His heart was still ringing in his ears, but it wasn’t nearly as overwhelming as it was before. He was relieved to sense that his anxiety was fading during the course of their conversation. Revealing his family history to Din made him feel strangely calm and it was assuring to know that he wasn’t alone. 

Finally, Din broke first and looked down to grab his beer. “I’m sorry, I never get this real on a first date.”

“Neither do I,” Luke replied quickly, “I guess you’re just easy to talk to.”

Din smiled and reached across the table to cover Luke’s hand with his own. 

They fell into an easy silence after that, and Luke rejoiced that it felt just as natural to be quiet together as it did to talk. Plus, it gave him more time to admire Din’s features without losing track of the conversation. And he really had such lovely features. That bone structure was to die for. 

Their food was brought out not too long afterward. It’d taken a while to arrive, but Luke didn’t care. It didn’t matter to him as long as Din was across from him and hopefully enjoying himself. The food tasted just as good as he remembered. Maybe even better, but that could be due to the fact that Din was smiling at him and they were currently sharing this meal over gentle candlelight that the server had placed on the table. 

They continued talking over plates of pad thai, spring rolls, and pad krapow moo saap. Din needled Luke until he finally revealed which alligator was his favorite (it was Brochu), and he asked him about his other friends at the zoo. They talked more about Din’s work in the shop and Grogu. Luke loved how Din’s face lit up in a unique way every time he spoke about his son. He seemed incapable of stopping himself from bragging about how Grogu was the best player on his soccer team and how he was excelling at preschool. 

By the time they reached the dessert course (Din had a sweet tooth apparently, and insisted on splitting an order of sweet mango sticky rice), Luke was completely relaxed. Din kept doing small things, like brushing his hand against Luke’s or complimenting him, and that made him ridiculously happy. This was going well. 

“Thanks for coming out with me tonight,” Luke said as they stood outside of the restaurant after their meal. The cool night air made for a wonderful pretense for Luke to step closer to Din, seeking his warmth. 

“I’m glad you asked me,” Din replied, “I don’t think I had the courage to ask you myself.”

“Right, because that khaki uniform is  _ very _ intimidating.” 

“No, but the extremely cute blonde wearing it sure was.”

Luke gazed up into Din’s eyes and noticed that they were darker than their usual chocolate brown, and he realized the moment was here. He stood on his toes to press a kiss against Din’s lips and he felt him smile into it. His lips were just as soft and warm as Luke dreamed they’d be. Din gently stroked Luke’s side from his ribs to his hips in a comforting petting motion while their mouths moved softly against each other. When Luke’s lips parted, Din immediately accepted the invitation and used his tongue to explore Luke’s mouth. The sensation made Luke moan and Din’s hand tightened on his hip in response to the sound. 

After a few more moments of bliss, they pulled apart for air. Luke nuzzled Din’s neck and trailed kisses up to his jaw, pausing to suck on his earlobe which made Din groan. Luke smiled into his neck, enjoying the responses he was able to pull from the other man, but all too soon Din pulled away. He stepped back slightly but his arms remained wrapped around Luke’s waist. 

“You have no idea how much I want to continue this....”

“But?”

Din sighed, “I have to pick up Grogu from Boba’s. I said I wouldn’t be out that late tonight.”

“Of course,” Luke replied, “I completely understand.” He let his hands rest on Din’s shoulders and he smiled up at him to let him know that he wasn’t annoyed. His son came first. Luke knew that was the deal. 

“Thanks. I uh, I’d really like to do this again sometime.”

“Me too.”

At that, Din leaned forward to kiss Luke one last time. The kiss was slow, languid, and Luke felt Din sigh into his mouth before forcing himself to pull away. 

“So, until next time?” Din asked, tilting his head as he gazed down at Luke like he was the only man left in the world. 

“Until next time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Stay tuned for part three, featuring more Grogu!)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Din’s POV this time! (Thanks for continuing to read this tooth-rotting fluff.)

“So you’re seeing him again this weekend?”

“Yes,” Din replied from underneath the Volvo he was currently working on. He was trying to focus on his work, but he could tell by Boba’s tone that the man wanted to talk. He slid out from under the car and looked up to see his boss leaning against the workbench, staring down at him with a neutral expression. 

“That’s, what? The third weekend in a row?”

“Yes.”   
  


“Wow, a new record for you, Din. At least in the last five years...”

Din just hummed and grabbed a cloth from his toolbox, focusing on wiping his hands instead of meeting Boba’s critical gaze. 

“So is he your boyfriend?”

“It’s been less than a month, so no, we haven’t used labels yet.”

“But he’s been around Grogu,” Boba stated, crossing his arms over his large chest, “How do you refer to him then?”

“I just call him ‘Luke’. Grogu knows Luke outside of his relationship with me. He was one of his teachers at camp.”   
  


“But eventually you’ll have to confront it. At some point he’ll wonder why the guy who feeds the alligators is sleeping over at his house.” 

“ _ ¡Dios mío! _ ” Din snapped, “I’d never do that! Don’t act like I’ve  _ ever _ casually had someone sleep over. I’d never expose Grogu to that until I sat him down and had a real conversation about it. You know that.” 

“I know, I’m just trying to remind you that there’s a lot to consider here.”

“Is this show of protectiveness about Grogu or me?” 

Boba paused and sighed. He rubbed the back of his neck and Din watched his neutral mask slip away into a look of concern. He knew that his friend probably had his best interests at heart, but he had a strange way of showing it. 

“I’m not trying to be an ass. I just don’t want to see you or the little guy get hurt. You don’t date, Din. Do you remember what it’s like? Things that start out great can go down in flames very quickly.”

“I know that. This isn’t easy for me. Why do you think I’ve turned into a monk for the past five years? I’m worried too,” Din replied, feeling just a tiny bit better by voicing his fears, “Trust me, everything that you’re saying is something I’ve already agonized over.”

“So this guy must really be something special, huh? If you’re willing to try for him.”

“Yeah, he is. I haven’t met anyone like Luke in a long time,” Din replied softly. He looked up at Boba and shrugged, because what else could he do? Luke had already found his way into his heart and now he had no choice but to see it through. 

“I’m sorry, my friend, I know I should trust your judgment. I just don’t like the idea of some guy hurting you.”

“He’s not just some guy. That’s why I’m doing this. He’s different. Luke is kind and gentle. He’s been around kids and he’s a natural when he talks with Grogu. He actually likes him.” 

“Plus he must be cute,” Boba cut in, with a knowing smirk. 

Din blushed, “Maybe, yeah.” 

“Well,” Boba chuckled, “I’ll try to be more supportive then. So do you want me to watch Grogu again tomorrow?”

“No, he’s coming with us actually. Luke’s giving us a behind-the-scenes tour of the alligator facility.”

“Hmm, a date at work? Sounds kind of cheap.”

“ _ Vengaaa _ , Boba, you said you’d be nice,” Din said, before grumbling under his breath. “And I can’t exactly afford an upscale date either, with what you pay me.”

“I’m kidding! Relax,” Boba replied, “Also, I heard that and I’m not giving you a pity raise. We’re strapped right now.” 

Din smirked and threw the dirty cloth at Boba, who caught it out of the air. 

“I’m getting back to work, you can grill me about my date later.”

“Fine. But next time tell him to pick you up at the garage. I want to see the man who’s been distracting my best employee.”

***

On Saturday, Din found himself on what was possibly the strangest date of his life. 

Luke was currently mixing a large bucket of miscellaneous animal meat and bones for the alligators’ lunch, explaining how every element contributed to their nutrition. Grogu seemed to be loving it, his large eyes watching Luke’s every move, meanwhile Din was just thankful he had a strong stomach. 

“Okay,” Luke said, hefting the bucket off the table, “Let’s go take this to the boys!”

Grogu hopped off the stool he was balancing on and immediately followed Luke down the hallway, while Din lagged behind. He allowed himself a moment to ogle the man in front of him. It was easy to admire the way Luke’s toned arms easily carried the heavy bucket of chum and even though he liked to make fun of it, his khaki pants really highlighted his ass. It’d been so long since Din allowed himself to lust after someone new, but Luke seemed to encourage it so he let his eyes wander. 

As if he could hear his thoughts, Luke flipped his hair out of his eyes and looked back over his shoulder at Din, “Keep up, Din! You don’t want to miss feeding time.”

Din smiled and followed Luke and Grogu down a long hallway past laboratories, kitchens, and store rooms. 

“So here’s the back entrance to the exhibit,” Luke said, setting down the bucket and gesturing toward the door in front of him. I can’t let you in with me, but if you walk around the corner, you’ll see our special one-way window that the other zookeepers and I use to watch the exhibit without the guests seeing us. You guys can go watch from there.” 

Din took Grogu’s hand and led him around the corner to the wide window. When they got there, he lifted the boy up and settled him on his hip so he could see in.

“ _ wow _ ”, Grogu whispered, putting both his small hands against the window. 

“Pretty cool, right buddy?”

“yeah, Luke has the best job in the whole world!”

“Cooler than my job?”

Grogu nodded, “cars are boring, gators are cool.” 

Din chuckled, “Noted. I guess I chose the wrong industry.”

They were quiet as they watched Luke feed the three large alligators, tossing the larger chunks directly into their mouths. He waved toward the window where he knew Din and Grogu were standing, even though he couldn’t see them from his side. Grogu waved back wildly, almost smacking Din in the face as he did so. Din just laughed and held his son closer. 

It made his heart soar to see Grogu so happy. His son’s ongoing happiness had been his only priority for so long, that he tended to neglect his own needs in pursuit of it. He viewed dating as selfish, because it would take him away from his boy. He never considered the possibility that something that made himself happy, could make Grogu happy too. Luke seemed to prove that possibility. 

Together they watched Luke toss the rest of the meal to the three large reptiles before making his way back to the door. Din set Grogu down and he bounded over to the zookeeper as he met them back in the hallway. 

“ _ that was awesome! _ ” he shouted, surprising Luke with his exclamation. 

“Glad you think so!” he replied, “They were shockingly well-behaved today. Sometimes they wrestle over the biggest chunk. They must’ve known they had a special audience.”

“Oh man, alligator wrestling? I’d be into that,“ Din said, stepping up beside him and ruffling his son’s curly brown hair. Grogu tried to bat him away and then chose to stick his tongue out at him. Din just copied the gesture while Luke laughed, 

“Sorry to disappoint you, this is a zoo, not the circus.”

“yeah Dad, it’s the zoo. they’re good ‘gators.” Grogu grumbled, crossing his little arms over his chest. 

“Sorry, my mistake.”

Din reached for Grogu’s hand so they could move along to the next exhibit, but the boy quickly darted forward and grabbed Luke’s hand instead. Din hesitated for a moment, waiting for Luke’s reaction, but Luke didn’t miss a beat. He simply smiled down at Grogu and continued on, swinging their hands a little as he started up his speech about the various labs the zoo had to take care of the creatures. 

DIn let out a breath as his heart unclenched. Luke looked so natural holding his son’s hand. Again, Din let his mind wander and explore the reactions he was having to the sight in front of him. They looked like… family? He felt a strange mix of parental pride and protectiveness-- Luke mattered to him but he clearly mattered to Grogu too, and Din realized he wanted to build that relationship even more. 

How nice it would be to always have him with them. 

***

Luke guided them around the Rainforest section for another hour, pointing out all kinds of details that a normal visitor may miss. Grogu’s second favorite species were the colorful poison dart frogs housed in their own small exhibit with large leaves and a miniature waterfall. Din happened to like fluffy, friendly-looking mammals but he was outvoted by both Grogu and Luke, so they spent the majority of the day looking at various reptiles and slimy amphibians. By the time they exited the dark Rainforest, blinking as they stepped back into the sun, Din had just about reached his limit with scaly creatures. 

“How about we finish up the tour with some ice cream?” Luke asked the pair. 

Grogu’s eyes lit up and he nodded vigorously, the movement shaking his whole little body as he rode atop Din’s shoulders. 

“You’re speaking his language,” Din chuckled, patting Grogu’s small leg as it dangled down around his neck. 

“I thought so,” Luke grinned, “Plus, I know his daddy has a bit of a sweet tooth too.”

Din blushed and merely followed Luke along one of the jungle paths to the nearest ice cream stand. 

“Okay, now for the very important question: what are your flavor preferences?” Luke asked as they stood in line. 

Din squinted at the flavor board, feeling too lazy to remove Grogu from his shoulders and get his glasses from his backpack. “Um, I think I see ‘monster mash’ on there, is that what you want, kid?”

“monster mash!” Grogu shouted. 

“I’ll take that as a yes. And I’m sticking with regular chocolate.”

“Just chocolate?” Luke asked, raising a brow at him, “Not brownie batter or double fudge? Just plain old chocolate?”

“I happen to like simple flavors.”

“Spoken like a true retiree. Plain chocolate is an old person flavor, like pecan or pistachio!”

“All good flavors,” Din muttered as Luke just shook his head and laughed. He stepped up to the counter to order for the three of them. 

“One cookie dough, one monster mash, and one  _ plain _ chocolate, please.”

Din grabbed some napkins and led Grogu over to a bench while Luke waited for the treats. He reached into his backpack for some hand sanitizer and squeezed some into Grogu’s outstretched little hands. He couldn’t help but think about how he and Luke first met, after Grogu wandered off while Din was at the pretzel counter. The difference was this time, Din could focus on Grogu while Luke handled the food. It was nice to have someone to split tasks with. 

Din fancied himself SuperDad but at night, alone in his bed, he often worried about whether he was enough for Grogu. For the past four years, Din assumed that his heart didn’t have any room left to love anyone else. Even if it did, how could he be sure that that person would love Grogu as much as him? But loving his son was the easiest thing in the world, so he should have guessed that he’d be able to find someone who had the capacity to love them both. Luke wasn’t a parent, but he had a natural way with kids. The way he took interest in Grogu, asked him questions and talked to him like a person, showed Din that he could be more than just a lover. He could be a real partner. It was probably too soon to keep having these thoughts, but Din couldn’t help it.

He was still mulling over this when Luke approached their bench, carefully balancing three cones. He handed Grogu the electric blue one first, then handed Din his.

“Here’s your old man flavor.”

"It’s not an old man flavor..." Din grumbled, sounding like an old man as he took the first lick of his cone. 

“Whatever you say...”

"Hey Grogu, slow down buddy! Ice cream’s meant to be savored and enjoyed, not devoured," Din said in wry amusement as his attention shifted toward Grogu, who immediately shoved the whole cone into his mouth and licked off as much ice cream as he could.

“ _ Mpmphf _ " Grogu pouted--as best he could with his mouth full of dessert. Luke stepped back instinctively as Din just shook his head.

"You’ll get a stomach ache," he told the little boy sternly. 

“Yeah Grogu, it’s better to eat slowly. You’ll get to enjoy it longer if you do,” Luke put in, slowly rolling his tongue around the top scoop on his cone as a demonstration, "Very. Very. Slowly."

This time he made eye contact with Din as he flicked his tongue out again, allowing it to only barely touch the off-white ball of cream before it darted back into his mouth. Then he used his long tongue to take one slow, languid lick. Din stared at Luke as he did so, his eyes wide and mouth agape, mesmerized for a moment before he realized he was letting himself get carried away.

“Luke’ Din hissed, “Cut it out.”

“What?” Luke asked innocently. 

“You know what you’re doing.”

“I’m just eating my ice cream cone. I can’t help it if you have a dirty mind.”

Luke smiled and fluttered his ridiculously long lashes at Din, who only groaned. Those baby blue eyes would be the death of him. This man was going to have him wrapped around his little finger soon enough, he could feel it. 

“Just… cool it in front of the kid,” he said. The last thing Grogu needed to see was how easily his father could get turned on. He didn’t want to scar him, for God’s sake! 

“Of course, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable,” Luke said, giving him a wink before returning to eating his ice cream like a normal person. 

Din returned the smile before looking back over at his son, who’d completely devoured his ice cream during the course of the conversation. He sighed and grabbed a napkin. The four-year-old giggled as Din managed to wipe some of the stray oreo off his hands and face. 

“Ah the glamorous life of a parent,” Din joked, mostly to himself as he gathered up the soiled napkins. He noticed Luke watching him with a pensive look on his face as he leaned over to throw the napkins in the bin. 

“At least you get a pretty great reward,” Luke said, gently reaching out to pet Grogu’s back as he dug through Din’s backpack, presumably for a toy. 

“Yeah, he’s pretty great. I’m not planning on returning him any time soon,” Din replied with a smirk. 

“I had a lot of fun with you guys today.”

“Me too. But next time, I promise it’ll just be us.”

“Din,” Luke cut in, his face suddenly serious, “Please don’t worry about splitting time like that. Spending time with both of you makes me happy. We’ll find time to be alone, I’m not worried about that. But I want you to know that I truly enjoy spending time with you and Grogu, together.” 

“Really?”   
  


“Really.”

And then Din’s heart melted and he couldn’t help himself. He leaned across the bench and kissed Luke, gentle yet firm. They lingered for a moment before pulling back. Din didn’t care about PDA but he was acutely aware that this was the first time he’d shown this kind of affection towards Luke in front of Grogu. He glanced down at his son who had paused his current make-believe game with his tiny stuffed frog to watch his Dad. 

Grogu smiled when he saw Din take notice of him, but then he went right back to playing. Not a care in the world (as long as he knew Din was paying attention to him). 

He knew he’d have to sit him down and explain what a “partner” was at some point, but they’d cross that bridge another day. Grogu was happy and Luke was happy, so that meant Din was happy. Today, Din wanted to try and focus on the wonderful, simple feeling of loving and being loved in return. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this AU as much as I enjoyed writing it! If anyone has any additional prompts, I may consider adding them so feel free to share them with me here or on tumblr (thishintoflove). 
> 
> I have one more “chapter” planned but I’m going to add it as a separate story to this series because it involves *ahem* 18+ content, and I’d rather keep this story rated as T.


End file.
